ARKADELPHIA — The Ouachita Baptist Tigers were in a giving mood Saturday night, and the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys did all they could to take down the 13th-ranked team in NCAA Division II football.

OBU led 21-3 at halftime, but three fumbles and one interception almost cost the Tigers their first loss of the season. But Arkansas Tech couldn’t convert on its final drive and lost 31-24 at A.U. Williams Field.

Ouachita Baptist (2-0, 1-0 Great American Conference) led 21-3 until the 10:35 mark of the third quarter, when Arkansas Tech (1-3, 0-2) picked up a first down when quarterback Tanner Marsh completed a 29-yard strike to Cassius Washington at the Tigers 34. Marsh scrambled for 14 more yards up the middle, and suddenly the Wonder Boys had a first down at the 1.

OBU’s streak of holding its opponents without a touchdown was broken after 10 quarters when ATU’s Tyler Moon scored from 1 yard out. Trevor Pinkston’s point-after kick pulled the Wonder Boys within 21-10.

Tech’s defense rose to the occasion on the Tigers’ next series, as Andreveus Brandon intercepted OBU quarterback Jordan Benson’s pass near midfield. Facing third down and long, Marsh later connected with Darrell Freeman on a 40-yard touchdown pass, and Kinston’s PAT made it 21-17 with 8:59 to go in the third quarter.

The Tigers went to more of a running game on their next series, but Rycraw was rocked by Wonder Boy defender Courtney Rockwell at the 32. ATU recovered OBU’s third fumble and fourth turnover, and looked to take the lead for the first time. But back-to-back penalties forced the Wonder Boys to punt.

Jordan gave the Tigers some breathing room when he connected with Brett Reece for a 22-yard touchdown pass on third down. Ouachita Baptist led 28-17 after the 10-play, 80-yard drive with 13 minutes remaining in the game. After both teams traded possessions, Marsh took off on a quarterback keeper and scampered 43 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. Pinkston’s PAT made it 28-24 with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter.

Jordan was injured and had to leave the game with less than five minutes to go in the game, but the Tigers settled for a 31-yard field goal to make it 31-24 at 2:32.

A personal foul penalty on OBU moved the ball to the 45 and gave Arkansas Tech great field position. But the Tigers stiffened on defense, and the Wonder Boys couldn’t pick up a first down on 4th-and-12.

OBU scored first when Rycraw scored from 1 yard out, and the Tigers led 7-0 with 9:16 to go in the first quarter after Fowler’s PAT. ATU couldn’t capitalize on the Tigers’ first turnover and punted back to Ouachita Baptist, which scored again from 1 yard out, but this time it was quarterback Jordan Benson with 10:13 to go in the second quarter. The Wonder Boys got an offensive spark on their next series from senior Casey Henderson, who busted up the middle and rumbled 52 yards to the Tigers 1. But OBU’s defense kept Arkansas Tech out of the end zone, and the Wonder Boys settled for a 33-yard field goal from Trevor Pinkston and made the score 14-3 at the 8:05 mark of the second quarter. Benson’s pass was fumbled on the Tigers’ next series, and ATU looked to cash in on the turnover. The Wonder Boys started at the 43 and got all the way to the Ouachita Baptist 1, but Marsh couldn’t get in on the quarterback sneak attempt. The Tigers took over at the 1 and traveled 99 yards to the ATU 1 before Rycraw crossed the goal line for the second time in the game. Fowler’s PAT gave OBU its 21-3 lead with 14 seconds left in the first half.